Walnut-crusted lamb chops shine like no other among the many racks of lamb chop recipes. The wholesome, rich, and meaty lamb chops with a crunchy coat of walnuts and thyme make these lamb pops stand out.
This was one of our favorite dinner recipes around the holiday season, mostly Christmas and Easter, and I couldn’t be happier to share it with you.
Why should you make this recipe?
If you want your guests to enjoy something flavorsome and unique for this holiday dinner, I recommend giving this recipe a try. It is undoubtedly among the best lamb chop recipes, and we have plenty of reasons for saying this:
- These lamb chops are super easy to make. There are three essential steps you have to follow, i.e., prepare the crust mixture, cover the lamb chops with the walnut crust and cook. No fuss, no need for many pans! It is a simple recipe.
- This recipe is versatile. Serve it with any red wine sauce or any side, and it will go perfectly well. Lamb goes well with any vegetable.
- There are so many ways you can cook these lamb loin chops. You can roast these lamb chops or turn this recipe into a grilled lamb chops recipe effortlessly.
- Lastly, these chops turn out to be juicy and perfectly cooked.
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Rack of lamb: You can have your butcher trim the fat off for you.
- Onion or shallots: sweet onion or shallots adds texture and flavor to the crust.
- Bread crumbs: for the crust
- Walnut: Crush the nuts in a ziplock bag or food processor until they are fine. You can use pecan, pistachio, or almonds as well.
- Thyme: I used fresh thyme, you can use sage, oregano, basil, mint or rosemary.
- Ras-el-hanout: I love to use this aromatic spice for my lamb as it was one of my dad’s favorite to use with lamb dishes. The taste is exceptional!
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to make oven-baked lamb chops
To make this rack of lamb chops recipe, you first start by frenching the rack of lamb. Usually, the butcher takes care of the trimming; if that’s not the case, trim off the fat beginning from the top of the rack (you can google videos to assist you on this).
Next, drizzle some olive oil over the lamb chops, then season as directed.
While the rack of lamb is resting, you make the walnut crust.
Start by sauteeing the onion and garlic, then add the balsamic vinegar and seasoning. Remove from heat, then mix the walnut, bread crumbs, and thyme.
Top the mixture over the rack of lamb, then bake in the oven. Follow the instructions on the recipe card depending on how you want the lamb chops cooked.
That’s it!
What to serve with lamb chops?
- Vegetables: You can serve these oven-baked lamb chops with almost every vegetable. Whether you sauté them, steam them, or roast them. The choices are unlimited. Asparagus, baby carrots, potatoes, Brussel sprouts, peas, green beans, creamed corn, everything works just fine.
- Puree: From mashed potatoes to celeriac puree, you can use any root vegetable to make a rich and creamy puree.
- Sauces: although most people like to serve just the lamb chops, if you are for a bit of an adventure, try some sauces. For instance, make walnut and honey sauce, and it will complement the chops really well. Try chimichurri sauce, mustard sauce, tahini, or hollandaise sauce.
- Salads: Greens are a must! They add a crunch and nutrients. From fresh garden salad to tabbouleh and cold, creamy potato salad, you have so many different ideas to try.
Storage
Although I’d advise you to consume the walnut-crusted lamb pops immediately. But, if you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container with a lid or cling wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To serve, reheat in the oven at 325 degrees F.
Top tip
To get the lamb to cook evenly, it’s best to allow the rack of lamb to sit out at room temperature for up to an hour and a half before cooking.
I hope you’ll give this easy best lamb chop recipes a try. Share a bite with us on our social media. If you make this recipe using the hashtag worldlytreat(#worldlytreat), we’d love to join the soirée. Also, don’t forget to pin it for later. Chat soon?
PEACE & LOVE
Maureen
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Walnut Crusted Lamb chops
Equipment
- cast iron pan or heavy bottom sauce pan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (plus 1 teaspoon)
- 1 rack of lamb , fat trimmed about (1.66lbs)
- 1 small sweet onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup walnut, crushed
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs, stemmed (about 2 tsps)
- 1½ teaspoons Ras-El-Hanout
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- pomegranate red wine sauce to drizzle (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 4 minutes or until golden brown. Add the garlic, stir and cook for a minute. Add the vinegar, bring to a boil. Finally, add salt and pepper to taste (I used about ¼ teaspoon each). Remove from heat.
- Combine the bread crumbs, walnut, and thyme into the saucepan with the onion mixture. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously rub the lamb with a tablespoon of olive oil. Season with ras-el-hanout, and about ½ teaspoon of salt and fresh ground black pepper. Place the lamb in a roasting or cast iron pan, rib side down. Coat top and sides with the walnut crumb mixture from earlier. Transfer into the oven and roast for 20 minutes (rare) to 25-30minutes (medium-rare).
- Transfer lamb to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil to rest for about 10 minutes. Slice the lamb into chops. Serve with mashed potatoes or vegetables. Drizzle pomegranate sauce with pearl onion for an irresistible experience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
There are so many different seasonings and spices that you can try with lamb. Although most people like to keep things simple by using dried herbs like thyme, oregano, rosemary, basil, etc., to season the lamb, you can also use spices like chili pepper, cumin, turmeric, nutmeg, etc. to add more flavors. You can also choose Caribbean flavors, i.e., jerk seasoning with is a somewhat spicy spice rub. It will add so much flavor and kick to the lamb.
There are so many different seasonings and spices that you can try with lamb. Although most people like to keep things simple by using dried herbs like thyme, oregano, rosemary, basil, etc., to season the lamb, you can also use spices like chili pepper, cumin, turmeric, nutmeg, etc. to add more flavors. You can also choose Caribbean flavors, i.e., jerk seasoning with is a somewhat spicy spice rub. It will add so much flavor and kick to the lamb.
To season lamb chops, trim any excess fat, season with salt and pepper, make the spice mix and coat it on the outer part of the lamb chops. Next, put the chops in a plastic zip-lock bag and refrigerate or rest on the countertop for 30 minutes and cook right away.
The secret to perfectly cooked and juicy lamb chops is the temperature and time of cooking. Most people can’t agree on one specific time as the size of the chops can vary. So, the best way to ensure the lamb is cooked to perfection is by checking its internal temperature.
Rare: Internal temperature of 110 degrees F or 42 degrees C
Medium- Rare: Internal temperature of 120 degrees F or 58 degrees C
Medium-well: Internal temperature of 145 degrees F or 68 degrees 
Cant wait to try this recipe and serve for our wine nights, the steps are easy to follow.
So happy to hear that, Jeannie. It’s my pleasure to share each step.
lamb is such a treat and this recipe was a winner!
Right?! We enjoy it on special occasions, but it should be regularly as it is one of the simplest dishes to put together. Your comment warms my heart.